Mission
The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development (CRHSSD) is leading the effort to build a network of support and resources for Illinois farm families. The purpose of the initiative is to provide a range of resources including a helpline to assist with farmer and farm-related issues that include mental and physical health needs. Additionally, the initiative offers ongoing outreach, education and training to rural clients and partners working to improve the health and safety of farm families.
The Farm Family Resource Initiative seeks to improve the health and well-being of Illinois farm owners and families by:
- Identifying farm family needs, including mental health needs
- Identifying available resources for farm families
- Creating new resources for farm families
- Developing a network of partners to respond to farm family needs
Advisory Council
The FFRI Advisory Council is made up of Agriculture industry professionals from throughout the state who meet monthly to provide guidance and support. They also assist with the dissemination of FFRI materials and program information. The Council is led by Karen Stallman, Ag Resource Specialist.
Services
The Farm Family Resource Initiative helpline is available by call, text and email.
Call/Text helpline
1-833-FARMSOS (833-327-6767)
Email helpline
FarmFamilyResourceHelpline@mhsil.com
Telecounseling
Telehealth counseling sessions with SIU Medicine counselors are available for those in need of additional support. Up to six individual, couple or group sessions are available at no cost to the farmer or farm family member with the support of grant funding.
Resources
The FFRI provides a comprehensive list of resources aimed at supporting farmers and farm families in various aspects of their lives, including mental health, safety, and well-being on the FFRI.
This year a separate section was added in resource list for ag professionals.
Marketing
The Farm Family Resource Initiative's marketing campaign spread throughout the state through advertisement in print publications, radio, billboards, posters, flyers, yard signs and promotional items. A marketing dropbox folder was created to share marketing materials with partners.
Over 18,483 promotional items such as wallet cards, pamphlets, flyers, table tents, tote bags, tractor stress relievers, fans, and much more were distributed to various partners, organizations, insurance providers, Illinois Farm Bureau, and state and county fairs.
FarmWeek - 11 - ¼ page ads (2) Wraps – Sept. ’23 & May ’24 - 80,000 Illinois farmers and farm families
AgriNews - 11 - 2x9 ads - Illinois Circulation 25,009
Illinois Country Living - reach 192,000
Billboards
Continued to provide Spanish versions of FFRI print materials
Social Media
The FFRI increased social media presence in FY 24 on the Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development Facebook page. 51 Social Posts 332 likes | 382 followers
Top 3 Facebook posts
Digital Ads
Brownfield Ag News - Impressions: 287,626 | Clicks: 356 | CTR: 0.12%
Farmweek - Farmweeknow.com
AgriNews eblast - 5,000 impressions
St. Louis AgriBusiness Club - 425 recipients
Digital video
Sinclair Broadcasting Group - Jun 15, 2023 - Sep 30, 2023
YouTube
The Farm Family Resource Initiative playlist on the SIU Medicine YouTube channel has 271 views in FY24.
Finding Strength Together Coping with Stress - An Illinois Farm Family's Story - Top video with 115 views, 7.5 hours of watch time
Harvest a Healthier You Series
Website
FFRI continued to update the website with videos, events, webinars, graphics, blogs and news stories.
13,209 website views in FY24. (Unable to track visits July 2023 - Nov 2023)
Blogs
12 blogs published. Promoted on website and social media.
Articles
7 articles were published
Media
Media coverage from over 14 news sources from throughout the state
Press releases: 15
24,939 sends
Events and Webinars
"Harvest a Healthier You: Wellness Strategies for Farm Families," hosted and presented by Monica Kramer McConkey, LPCRural Mental Health Specialist. This webinar series covered various topics related to the well-being and mental health of farm families. The series provided valuable insights and resources to support the well-being and mental health of farm families, addressing issues ranging from alcohol use and depression to coping with loss, divorce, and farm legacy transitions.
Fielding Resilience: Identifying and Supporting Struggling Farmers
In this webinar, we tackled the important yet overlooked issues in agriculture, aiming to offer insights and support. The FFRI empowered participants to openly discuss challenges faced by suicidality and explored ways to intervene in crisis situations and provided resources for producers and their families. 29 attendees
Fam Succession Virtual Series
This webinar was designed to assist farmers and farm families with developing a succession plan for their future generations. 35 attendees
Grief and Suicide Bereavement Support Groups
With suicides increasing within the ag community, the FFRI launched an open support group for farmers and farm family members 18 years and older who lost a loved one.
Coffee Chat with Dr. Weshinskey
During this session, host Dr. Weshinskey, a licensed professional educator and national board certified counselor and attendees shared and explore the challenges facing producers and their families, discovered strategies for managing and supporting individuals experiencing suicidality and explored a wealth of resources available to producers, their families, and those who a licensed professional educator and national board certified counselor. 13 attendees
Radio
KTRS radio - Farmer Dave (KTRS) 96 :30 spots
Farm Week - RFD Radio Network 32 :30 spots
Podcast
191 visits to podcast page on website
97 plays on spotify | 6 plays per episode
Outreach
The Farm Family Resource Initiative increased awareness about the program state-wide during meetings, presentations, webinars and mailings.
Advisory Council
12 Monthly Advisory Council Meetings
Marketing
50 Weekly marketing meetings
Events & Activities
- SIU Agronomy Field Day, Belleville
- SIU Agronomy Field Day, Carbondale
- University of Illinois Ewing Field Agronomy Field Day
- Farm Progress Show
- Illinois State Fair
- DuQuoin State Fair
- Everything Local Conference
- Food Works - Southern Illinois Farming Alliance Conference
- Madison County Fair
- Illinois Pork Expo
- Illinois Soybean Summit
- Illinois AgrAbility Spring Webinar Series
- Illinois Beef Expo
- SIU Day at the Capitol
- Illinois Wheat Association Meeting
- Cover Crop Workshop
- Pinckneyville Hospital Health Fair
- Charlie Meier's Health Fair
- Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
Over 800 total attendees
Presentations
- RFD interview
- Suicide Prevention Quarterly Meeting
- Farmland Trust
- Illinois Corn Growers
- Farm Succession Series
- Illinois Veteran's Coalition
- Field Resilience Webinar
- Legislative tour
- Farmer appreciation breakfast
- Illinois Soil and Water District Annual Meeting
- Vermillion County Teacher's In-service
- Randolph County Farm Bureau Meeting
- SIU Law School - Attorney professional development
over 550 presentation attendees
AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Program
The FFRI partnered with AgriSafe and Farm Credit Illinois to provide scholarships for training to rural health care professional.
Partners
University of Illinois Extension | Illinois Farm Bureau | Memorial Behavioral Health | Illinois Department of Agriculture | Illinois Beef Association | Illinois Pork Producers | ILSOY | Farm Credit Illinois | Agrisafe | National Alliance on Mental Illness | and more
Financial support for FFRI is provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Division of Mental Health and the Illinois Department of Agriculture in cooperation with USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Impact
Calls received: 23
Average calls per month: 2.25
Texts: 0
Emails: 28
Average number of emails forwarded per month: 3.56
Telehealth sessions: 39
37% of callers were refered to SIU fo teletherapy while both counseling resources
Telehealth clients: 32
Resources: 31 links to online resources
312 visits to resources page